“I’m afraid that is not very reliable.” “Dear me! What do you mean?” Mrs. Lord exclaimed apprehensively. “Who are you, sir, that you question me in this way about her?” “My name is Carter. I am a detective,” Nick now informed her. “Mr. Gordon is mysteriously missing, also a considerable fortune from his office safe. Miss Perrot is suspected of----” “Not of having robbed Mr. Gordon?” interrupted the landlady incredulously. “Oh, I cannot believe that, sir! She has repeatedly told me that Mr. Gordon was quite likely to marry her.” “I would not take much stock in what she has told you,” Nick dryly advised. “Nor do I think it probable that she will ever return here.” “Well, well, you amaze me!” “Has she been receiving any visitors while here?” “No, sir, never!” said Mrs. Lord emphatically. “I often have wondered at that. She has no mail, nor appears to have any friends, except Mr. Gordon. He frequently has brought her home from his office, but he never came in.” “Did she go out evenings?” “Yes, occasionally. But she always returned at a reasonable hour, and always alone.” “I wish to inspect her room, Mrs. Lord,” said Nick. “This is a very serious matter, or I would not make the request.” “If all you have told me is true, sir, I cannot consistently refuse,” was the reply. “I will show you the way.” Both Nick and Patsy followed her upstairs and into an attractively furnished front chamber. “Everything is in order, Mr. Carter, but I have deferred sweeping and cleaning the room until the day before I expected Miss Perrot to return,” she said, when they entered. “We will disturb nothing,” Nick replied. “Has she sent away all of her garments?” “I cannot say, Mr. Carter. I have not looked.” “I will do so, then, with your permission,” Nick remarked. He did not wait for a reply, but at once began a thorough inspection of the room. In the wardrobe closet were some partly worn garments, two shirt waists, a blue woolen skirt, an Eton jacket, and a single pair of button boots on the floor. Nick examined all of these very carefully, hoping to find some suggestive mark on one of them, or evidence of some significance, but the examination proved entirely futile. They were no different from the garments of a thousand and one other young women. The drawer of the dressing stand was empty, while the china trays on top contained only a few hairpins, a plated stickpin of no great value, and a few equally insignificant articles. In one of the bureau drawers, however, Nick found a quantity of underwear, including two pairs of stockings, of all of which he at first made only a cursory examination. He soon noticed one curious fact, however, and remarked to Patsy: “By Jove, this is strange!” “What’s that, chief?” questioned Patsy, joining him at the bureau. “All of this underwear is new,” Nick pointed out. “Not a piece of it has been worn.” “You’re right, chief.” Patsy peered into the drawer. “That’s plain enough.”